Triangle help

[hollerback1]

Hi, Is it possible to draw a triangle with side lengths of 5 inches, 2 inches, and 8 inches? Explain why or why not. Uhh...Is this a trick question? haha...help me please, Thank you.

 

[jazzygeoff]

I reckon that's impossible.

If one of the sides is 8in, and the other 2 sides are 5in and 2in, then the 5in and 2in ends can't touch eachother!

Geoff

 

[Unco]

Geoff is spot on.

The length of the longest side of a triangle must be less than the sum of the lengths of the two shorter sides. (If the longest side's length is equal to the sum of the other two, we have a line.)

 

[hollerback1]

thanks again guys :lol: